by Bob Bannerman
The American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA), signed into law by President Biden on March 11, 2021, provides $1.9 trillion in federal funds for COVID-19 relief and economic recovery. ARPA authorized more than $8.8 billion in state and local funds to be disbursed in North Carolina. Of this amount, $17.7 million has been allocated to Brunswick County.
You might be wondering how our County Board of Commissioners is spending all this money. According to the county’s preliminary funding plan, released on May 2, 2022, the most significant expenditures so far include:
$8.0 million — water and sewer upgrades
$3.4 million — mandatory radio upgrades
$2.37 million — essential employee and premium pay
$2.0 million — parks and recreation projects
$1.5 million — warehouse/storage building space
$1.4 million — lead and copper mitigation program funding
$1.0 million — small business grants for local businesses impacted by COVID-19
$1.0 million — non-profit community assistance
$1.0 million — Health and Human Service building construction
Smaller amounts have been allocated for the purchase of three new ambulances, two specialized vehicles for the Sheriff’s Office, and housing improvements and weatherization for derelict structures throughout the county.
Not all of the money allocated in the plan has yet been specifically approved by the Board of Commissioners, and some funds have been reserved for projects the county will identify later. All ARPA funds must be obligated by the end of 2024 and spent by the end of 2026.